Winter weather and cold temperatures do NOT cause illnesses in children. Germs do! So please continue to encourage outdoor exercise for your children during the winter months. Ice skating, sledding, snow skiing, and snowboarding are all excellent ways to achieve an invigorating, aerobic workout for your kids and keep the winter doldrums at bay. Two safety tips to bear in mind: helmets are an excellent way to prevent serious head injuries; and using sunscreen can prevent winter sunburn from bright rays reflected off the snow.

Prevent frostbite and hypothermia by dressing children appropriately for outdoors and setting reasonable time limits on outdoor play. A good rule of thumb is to dress children in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions. Have children come inside periodically to warm up and to rehydrate with warm fluids.
If your child suffers from winter nosebleeds, try using a cool-mist humidifier in the bedroom at night. Saline drops or spray also help to keep nasal passages moist—try a squirt to each nostril twice a day. If bleeding is severe or recurrent, don’t hesitate to call us for advice.

Many pediatricians feel that bathing an infant or young child more than two or three times a week during the winter is excessive. Frequent baths when the weather is colder, the air is drier, and the heat is higher may cause tender skin to dry out and become predisposed to cracking, itching, and irritation. Especially during the winter, remember to apply moisturizer to your child’s damp skin immediately after a bath.

To help limit the spread of cold and flu viruses, teach your school-age children to sneeze or cough into their elbows rather than their hands.